Schultz: 49ers have a good problem in Smith vs. Kaepernick

Football is a brutal game in so many ways. I would never recommend it to anyone as I know the realities having experienced it at the highest level in the NCAA, NFL and CFL.

I say that my first football thought was "I wonder what Alex Smith is thinking?". I remember when I was cut from the Dallas Cowboys, I knew it was going to happen a month before it happened because Nate Newton showed up on the "Thousand Oaks' practice field and it was over. It was not that he was better than me, he was a lot better than me.

I can't help but think that Smith was thinking that while standing on the sidelines watching Colin Kaepernick do his job as well as he did it and it was the first time he has ever tried to do it. Now I like Alex Smith, I cheer for him. But what Kaepernick did made my jaw drop. That was an excellent Bears defence that he put 32 points on and he did it both through the execution of football structure plays and spontaneous plays that only Colin Kaepernick can do.

One of the truths of football is never get hurt, because when you do, the guy behind you has the chance to show what he could do. If Smith had not been hurt, Kaepernick would not have played. It is one of the main reasons that players fight through a concussion or an injury because inside they know the guy behind him is almost as good, as good, or better than you are. And in today's NFL when you include the money involved the level of ruthlessness to maintain your position has never been more intense.

Ed Reed will lose over $400,000 because of his hit in the Pittsburgh game. Now the NFL had to do it because of the pattern they saw from Reed. But I seriously doubt it was done on purpose. Ed Reed is a classy player and do you think he would give up $400,000 at this point of his career for a football hit? It was just the wrong angle at the wrong time on national television one time too many.

I would never push anyone into pro football, there's too much stress and too many situations that can take you from the top to the botton so fast. Alex Smith will almost have to be the perfect player to keep his job and that is impossible. Colin Kaepernick simple has to continue to improve and that is under his control.

I remember the Giants-49ers game when the Giants dominated the 49ers, and it was due to some mistakes by Smith. Now, I do realize I am jumping on the Kaepernick bandwagon but I am not the only one. John Gruden did too and he knows more than I ever will (except for Left Tackle, that I know).

We will see how it unfolds but the guy with the biggest problem now is Saints defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, the 49ers' next opponent as they play the Saints in New Orleans. Who do you prepare for, Smith or Kaepernick? And how do you prepare for Kaepernick with only one video on him against a top-three defence playing your defence that is not close to that good? The 49ers now have taken a big step forward. First they have Smith, a proven QB. Second they have Kaepernick, a possible great quarterback, and third, they have Jim Harbaugh as a head coach, who is a former successful QB.

The future is very bright is San Francisco. I just hope I don't get hurt on my way to work today.